ABOUT THIS EPISODE
It’s hard to say what’s been the biggest achievement for Daniel over the past few weeks — starting his own studio, Outerboro Films, getting selected as a 2025 Film Independent Documentary Story Lab Fellow, or telling the white supremacist Nick Fuentes that he’s an asshole.
Daniel said it’s the latter, but I’m guessing as we look back, it’ll be the first two, as he releases more of his critically acclaimed docs under his own banner.
Daniel has made truly extraordinary films, and now he’s put himself in a position to help others make theirs.
In this episode, Daniel and I discuss:
- how do you make the jump into embed in alt right hate groups? -- Daniel has the most incredible origin story;
- WHITE NOISE, The Atlantic's first feature documentary, directed by Daniel -- "it was journalistically important; a historical document";
- did The Atlantic know they were going into video when they hired him out of college?
- his founding of Outerboro Films; is he building off his work at The Atlantic and The New Yorker with a strategy to monetize his films?
- how he sees those two venerable magazines moving away to more social videos and leaving a space for companies like Outerboro;
- what Outerboro is -- a production studio? a distributor? both?;
- the unreal story of his upcoming documentary feature film, YOU'LL BE HAPPIER;
- his process of starting the project and then bringing on executive producers;
- the role of festivals in releasing documentaries in ways that they stay relevant;
- the advice "we need to destigmatize working at the coffee shop" for documentary filmmakers -- how does he feel about that advice?
- the name Outerboro Films and what it means; what would his company look like if it was based in Los Angeles?;
- what's next for him and Outerboro -- a sequel to NINA AND IRENA (2023)!;
Daniel's Indie Film Highlight: ETERNAL FATHER (2023) dir. by Omer Sami
Links:
English
United States
TRANSCRIPT 🔗
Are you the producer of this podcast?
Add a podcast transcript
Need Audio-to-Text?
Transcribe with Listen411 in Just 60 Seconds
OTHER EPISODES IN THIS PODCAST
Watch This Episode On YouTube
If you are staying up till 1030 pm to talk with me from Milan, Italy, well, I'm going to be grateful no matter what.
But even better if your film is truly exceptional. My guest, Ang Geck Geck Priscilla, director of AH GIRL (2026), which premiered at Rotterdam and now s…
Watch This Episode On YouTube
Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: MOON (2009)
Director: Duncan Jones
Cast: Sam Rockwell; Kevin Spacey; Dominique McElligott; Kaya Scodelario
SYNOPSIS
Astronaut Sam Bell's (Sam Rockwell) t…
One of the most fascinating things I've learned about in conducting interviews are how top awards can end up meaning -- nothing.
Think back -- can you name who won the Oscar for best documentary short five years ago? Two years ago?
So often, it doesn't show a noticeable trajectory change in the fil…
Every Sunday, I'll post a quick video -- and podcast -- about an indie film from at least a year ago. Today's film: EVELYN (2018).
Director: Orlando von Einsiedel
SYNOPSIS
When a 22-year-old kills himself, his three siblings try to bury their pain. Ten years later, they go on a hiking trip and seek…
It always fascinates me when people with other artistic backgrounds settle on making films. They end up creating an art form that is noticeably different than their peers. My guest, Australian director Peter Skinner, spent five years as a sculptor, and then with the precision that art form requires…
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Benjamin Duchek, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.
EDIT
Thank you for helping to keep the podcast database up to date.